Crab trap



Dec.'16, 1930. J. HOLOUBEKA I 1,785,348

CRAB. TRAP Filed NOV. 21, 1929 7 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 16, 1930 7 This invention. relates to improifementsz employed for swinging the'pside's to open positions, and" heretOfOre said springs have.

been mountedcin" such manner that the rel m'oval and replacement "of 'a; broken or defec? tive' spring necessitated ,theunhinging of the side members. This is Em difficult operatlona and often" to avoid it j theitrtip is-{eithlf used in a defective condition orgis discarded. Im-

portant 'robjects of the present invention: a116,;- to provide a trap designed t0 fac111mte the r the; oppos te ends of the hinged-m mber "mounting and removal of said sprin-gs aandi to: provide certain other improvementsrwin' s p v 7 ve bent-lnwardlyetapo 'nt suitably spacedfrom strand 14', extended inw'agrdlylas atj l6pgirallel to strand '14; "and againj'bent Tat airightnnglef and: extended a s at17to meet the strand 14 I atfa point located justoutwardly ofthe. adja'J- 'cent hingei 10". Atfthis juncture the-.two litmndlsd' ztre'joinedi%n"iny suiteble manner-as: Y *im roveds rin mountin 's; .andy .VW Q QlC i lg v v 7 One of the p p b of the-rm fneet the*hinged sidethereof is y formed-Iwitha n otchto provide clearance for:

the springsfi Each end portion 0f strandi "14 extends straight, outwardly beyond the junc' ture"; ofjthe strand section: 17 therewith and "fOIlilSiil. pintlei l8 formounting oneiof the:

the: trap structure. a Inthe drawing, I;

. .Figlvlf-ise *1 proved trap in a, closedcondition 'Fig. Q 'a-plan View ofthe trap show n opene,d;rm, s i 1 Fig. '3 a detailperspectlve:v1ew?show1ng- Fig. 4 a detail, perspeetie iew iof? other improved structural deta11-.,-?.@V

i The trap includes a 'bott'onrmernberjl twoij vside members or leavesi and two end mem-g hers 3.: The bottom. n ember icons sts of a -substantially rectangular Wirecfmmel 4 covj-g ered by a suitableopenmeshwire' fabrieior netting 5. 7 Each. side member 1 is elso; formed by a; substantially reetangular- ,wireiframe 6" eoverechby wire .nettinge'iw Eachw end member 3 consists of asubstantially-tr? angular wire-frame 8 covered by wire T net-E; ti'n'gQw There are hinge connectionsflo be-fi tween the side members 21ndthe-bottomrnern 7 her adapting'theside-membersto swing up; wardly and downwardly for closing lend I madly the end members}ere}held inpiightjlby a connecting member 12 scrlbedhereinefter; Y V

whi h w l be j Springs 13' are provided for swinging'the Q I hinged side meinbersor leaves2 downwardly to open position; These springsare carried by the'l side members and the latter "are de;

signedtd prei id'eianimpr oved mountingi for v .the sprihgslsfTheffraniefiof eachleafis pre-f era loly' formed'qf two strands of stout, stifi Y wire: I {On'e strand 14 forms fthejhinged side of the frame while the other strand leis-bent intorsubstantiallyuiorin and defines the V opposite free'fside' ofthe frame "and the endsf thereof. In the present instance the hinge connectijonsl0"betweenfstrand 14 andthe bot;

tomfframe are in the form ofwire ringsend} tliQyfOcqupy positions spaced inward1y' from Each frameendlformedbjthe strand 15isi 7 Thus each corner springs; its outer eritremity 'pintle 18r isl bent to form a short spring-retaining end 19" alinin'gwWitlfthe adjacentframeendifl I and withi literally extendingend's alndij21,

the 'lat'ter Being formed with a ho'okf Each, ot the foursprings is mounted to eneircle one:

- ofth'e pin'tles '18 with itsend 2O bearingr'prefi .j'erably against the bottom 'ofthe trapfand its k 7:7 hooked end engaging the freme s ectionilf -"in opening the trap. Betweenith'eend nlem hers and the bottom members there are hinge connections 11' adapting saidmembers toTfold;

' downwardly or collapse ag einst the bottoin" member; when the trap is not @111 use; Normanner to'exert a thrust tending 'to swing the ,hin ged framef outwardlyend downwardly to; open the trap." iTh-is Inannenof mounting f Thesprings 13 are of-the torsion type and 7 each isformed withquite avnum'bje'r of coils I may be removed by merely its ends 20 v i provide liberal clearance fdr thefremoval 0f the spring. It will be obvious that the mountand 21 and withdrawing its coiled portion endwise from the pintle 18 and its retaining end 19. The latter buttresses the spring and prevents displacement thereof, but the retaining end merges with thebody of'the pintle along aneasycurve and permitsthe spring to be withdrawnby applying'a:little force. There is a gap of material width betweenthe end 19 and the opposed frame portion 16to ing in place of a new spring will be quitefas' easy as the removal of a defectiveone. Both the mounting and the removalof'all ofthe springs is accomplished withoutjdisturbing thehinge connections. 1;:

The frame 8 ofeach end member of the trap is preferably-formed of asinglejstrand of? wire bent into a triangular'form, At the apex of the triangle the strand is bent inwardly to i'ngicoils '23 of a size and shape" to snugly re?" ceive the teats 22 :andi frictionally holdthe memberl12, inv place. Said member Jthereby holds" the a frame ends properly spaced and upright and-makes connections with them for.

lifting the trap; Near its coiledends-membe'r' 1-2 is: looped to I form eyes 24; through which cords 25 for. casting-and lifting the trap i are trained. Two strands of said" cords 'are con:-

thescope of'the claims; *What-I'claimiis': a

' J-While I have shown term ni my invention'I do not wish to be limited strictly to this disclosure but reservej'the.

nectedtothexouter edge of: each-leaf 2-, and

trainedthrough the eyes 24; "Above themember 12 all-of the strands are Joined together and, provided with a lifting l0o'p26' whereby when said loop is'zdrawn upwardly-the leaves 2 will first be swung to closed position against theresistance'of springs 13% and next thetrap will belifted. =When it: is desired toc'ollapse the trap the coiled ends-23, of the'v ridge mem her are forcibly. slid downward to disengage them from the teats 22. I Theieby the end members are freed and maly loev swung clownwardly upon the bottom inemberj The' si de", -leaves 2 arethen also free "to fold against th'e bottom member and the entire trap occupies a fiat'Icompactspace.".' 2 t*- I a I: very 'sat-isfactory' right to make such'changes as will lie within v1'. Atrapof the type'de'seribed comprising a. I bottom "member; a plurality-of "leaves to". -formtheE sides of the trap; hinge means he tween said leaves and "the bottom -member adapting the. leaves to? fold upwardlyand t downwardlypto close: and :open the -trap;

spring mountings in the form of pintles carried by the leaves at the opposite ends thereof, I

extending-axially outward beyond the hinge means and having their outer ends free; and coiled torsion springs encircling said pintles outwardly of the hinge means and engaging the vleaves to swing them downwardly, the

spring mountings adapting the springs to be o inserted or removed endwise. i

2. In a trap ofthe type described, a bottom member aileaf to form one side of the trap formed by a Qv'vire' frame, and a foraminous covering for said frame; hinge means conthe trap, l said hinge means. being spaced axially inward from one end ofsthe hinged.

side ofthe frame a spring mountingformed by extending the hingedv side of theframe outwardly beyond the inwardly spaced hinge means 'and leaving itspouter endlfree; and: a coiled torsion spring encirclingsaid mountingand engaging the leaftoswing'it down wardly, saidvispringmounting and the adjacent corner'of the frame being formed to 3, In;a ;trap of,thetype described, a memher to form one wallof thertrap including a frame defining the outlineof said member; a

member to form another wall of the trap;

hinge means connectingbone side ofsaid frameto' said'gsecondi member to adapt the two members to swing relatively to each other for opening' and closing the-trap, said hinge. means being" spaced axially inward fromone slde of the frame; aspr ng mountgnectingjone side offsaid' frame to the bot- .tom member, and adapting the leaf to fold upwardlyand downwardly tofclose and open provide clearance for'th'e endwise insertion V a'ndiremoval of the spring.

ing' formed by extending the hingedlside of the frame outwardly beyond the inwardly spaced hinge means and leaving its outer "end. free; and" a coiled'torsion"spring encircling saidfmounting fand engaging one of said members to swingit relatively to the other member, said spring mounting and the *ad aCent'cOrner ;of the frame being formed 7 to provide "clearance {for theendwise inser= tion and removal'of the'sprin'g; 1

f "a; Infa trap' ofthe'typef les'cr'ibed,-ia hot tom member; a leaf to form one side of the trap iformedby aa-wire frame, and netting covering sald frameg hlnge' connections: be-

said hinge: connect-ions being spaced axially,

i nwardfrom theopposite ends of the frame "andthe opposite ends of the frame at the hinged iside'thereof. being bent inwardly to tweenone sideofvsaid frame-and the bottom member ada 'otingr'the leaf to fold upwardly and downwardly. to descend open thetrap,

define cornennotches located outwardly of r the hinge conneotions; spring mountings formed by extending"thei oppositej end por ti'ons of the hinged side of the frame-axially past'jsaid mates and bending themto form springs mounted to encircle said mountings and engage the leaf to swing it downwardly, T

free spring-retaining ends; and coiled torsion the mountings and'the notches adaptingthe springs to be removed outwardly by drawing H l 7 them endwise around said retaining ends. a

5. In a trap of thetype described; a mem 1 .ber to form one wall of the trap including a frame defining the outline of said member; a member'to form another wall of the trap; hinge means connecting one side of said frame to said second member to adapt the two members to swingrelatively to each; other for opening and closing the trap, said frame;

being formed at'its hinged side with an in .ward bend forminga clearance notch for a n spring; a pintle to form a spring; mounting i fixed at one end to'the frame at the'hinged side thereof, extending across said notch in a direction substantially parallel to the hinge axis and freeat its opposite end; and a coiled r torsion sprlngencirclingsaidp ntle and en-i J V gaging one of saidtrap members to swing-1t relatively to the other member, said pintle and the frame notch being formed toprovide clearance for the endwise insertion and-{removal of the spring. a a A 7 I 6. In a trapof theclass described, a mom'- "ber to form one Wall of the trap ;a member f to form another wall-of the'trap'; hinge means I connecting said wall-forming members v adapting one member to'swingrelatively to the other andspaced axially inward from one; V 1 side of the trap; a spring mounting in the" 1 form of a pintle carried by one of said Inemhers extending axially outward beyond-the inwardly spaced hinge means andhaVingjits:

outer end free; and alcoiled-torsionspring i encircling said pintle outwardly ofthe hinge 7 means anduengaging said relatively swing 7 7 ing member'to swing it, the springmou'nting; i a 1 adapting the spring to be inserted or removedv 7 f j endwise over the freeend of the pintle. a

7'. In a' trap of the type described"; a member to form one wall of the trap a member a to form another wall ofthe trap; hinge means connecting said members, along adjacent edges thereof;- a spring mounting in the form of a pintle carried byjoneof said members a coiled torsion springencircling said pintle f at its hingededge and disposed with'its'axis j I I n" substantially coincident with the axis of said hinged means and having one end'free; and a and engaging oneof said wall members to signature.

swing it relatively to the other member,; the I hinged edge ofthe pintle-bearing wall memher being vformed with a notch providingclearance for endwise withdrawal fofl'the spring fromthe the latter.

- In testimonywhereof-"Ihereunto atfix myf l g ,7

pintle past the mean er 

